The Yardbirds

Biography

In addition to their six Top 40 songs, the Yardbirds will be remembered as having produced the top three English blues-based guitarists of the ‘60s: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. The Yardbirds formed in June 1963, with Keith Relf on vocals and harmonica, Chris Dreja on guitar, Jim McCarty on drums, Paul Samwell-Smith on bass and Anthony “Top” Topham on guitar. That October, Topham was replaced by Eric Clapton. The group was originally called the Most Blueswailing Yardbirds, and their repertoire consisted entirely of blues cover songs. Their following increased when they replaced the Rolling Stones as the ...